


off season

by ladyeos



Category: Free!
Genre: Hanahaki Disease, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 19:14:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17392103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyeos/pseuds/ladyeos
Summary: Rin is coughing flowersHaru doesn't know what to do





	off season

**Author's Note:**

  * For [QueenPotatos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenPotatos/gifts).



> -For Queenie dearest
> 
> May we keep listening to sad songs together.
> 
> big shout-out to yami for betaing and being such a cutie pie always

Harus knows about it, everyone knows really, since Rin had come back into their lives. Back when he had been cagey, regretful, and sort of angry still; but not at them, never at them, not anymore.

 

Back then none of them had gathered enough courage to fully bring themselves to ask about it, except Nagisa. But with Nagisa being Nagisa, the topic was always promptly changed and thus remained unanswered.

 

Haru is aware Rin _has_ been dying, since their second year of high school at least (maybe even earlier), of unrequited love.

 

It’s impossible to miss; no matter how hard Rin had tried ( _tries_ ) to hide it, to sweep it under the rug. It has been years since then, years and years of off-season petals stuck on clothes and between notebooks, on the futon after sleepovers, floating aimlessly in the pool.

 

Haru wonders sometimes if Rin likes the idea of sakura filled pools so much he now tries to make his own.

 

Haru also wonders when he'll start coughing up flowers too.

 

After all he's been in love with Rin since... he doesn't know....Forever? It feels like forever. Maybe.

 

Its fitting, Haru guesses, fitting of Rin’s endless romantic heart that he chose the flowers over the water that had whisked his predecessors away. Haru will be free to resent ( _hate_ ) the flowers that will suffocate Rin, because he is not sure he could ever bring himself to hate the water after all.

 

Haru tried, once or twice, to ask who the recipient of Rin’s flowers is, only to be met with a curious resigned stare that was sadder more than anything else. A stare he can't quite decipher but it leaves him unsettled and restless in a way that not even hours of mindlessly floating around in ( _communing with_ ) the pool after closing time could ever fix.

 

The water doesn't know how to fix Rin either.

 

* * *

 

They had just gotten back to Iwatobi, the team is on leave for a few weeks of rest after an international meet. Haru had overheard the coaches speaking with Rin shortly after dismissal, stifled whispers about surgeries, times, and olympic trials. It's getting worse they'd said, it's getting dangerous.

 

Haru burns with the want to ask Rin about _it_ , (he can’t bring himself to think of Rin’s condition as a sickness, refuses to call it by name, _denial_ \- Makoto called it once) maybe it's not too late?

 

One time, Haru managed to get Rin to speak about the flowers during one of their sleepovers, back when Rin was visiting from Australia before they made the team. He disclosed that the reason why he didn't want to confess was not because he was afraid of being rejected, but because this person would accept his feelings and force themselves to return them so he wouldn't die.

 

The possibility that this could happen... Rin could not live with that. They were the most important person in Rin’s life after all and he would not be content with such sacrifices; Rin was both selfless and selfish in equal measure.

 

Haru doesn't want Rin to leave. He understands Rin’s feelings are important, understands why Rin wants to protect and shelter them, but Haru doesn't want him to give up on his dream either; _their dream._ They are in this _together_ after all.

 

It’s too soon, Rin is too young. He doesn't think he can survive another long period without Rin in his life, not like during junior high school where bleak days continuously blended one into the other. Indefinitely

 

No.

 

He's got a plan; he'll force Rin to talk, and fight if he has to. Hell, he'll even oversee Rin’s confession to this mystery individual. Haru would even personally take Rin to his doctor's appointments if the outcome is bad. Haru is prepared to do _anything_.

 

After 4 days of radio silence (Rin had been barricading himself home with a “cold”) Haru is currently making his way to _their_ tree at Iwatobi Elementary School. Rin asked to meet him there yesterday over a call, with a voice filled with such hopelessness that left Haru’s heart in pieces.

 

“Rin.”

 

He finds Rin seated on the flower bed bricks hunched over, looking like he's been sent to execution. Pretty red eyes full of fear and resignation.

 

Cradled delicately in his hands is a cluster of pink and blue flowers, wet, like they have been recently washed; sakura and hydrangeas in the middle of October.

 

Haru stares pointedly at them, a little disdainfully, while Rin stands up and walks closer.

 

“I made these for you…” Shuffling nervously, red blooming prettily on Rin’s cheeks, and looks like he wants the earth to swallow him whole as he hands the flowers to Haru “...Thought you'd like to know.“

 

Haru feels unmoored, untethered. He was prepared to fight teeth and nails but to have the wind sucked out of his sails so suddenly-

 

He accepts the flowers confused and takes a moment to answer “... Rin? What-”

 

“Don’t. I'm not expecting a response. The surgery has been set for next month.”  

 

It all comes crashing down suddenly. After all this time it’s been him?! Dizzily, Haru understands everything now, and Rin...

 

Rin is an idiot.

 

Haru let the damned flowers fall and grabbed Rin’s hand just as he was turning away with a heavy sigh. Pulling Rin into a desperate kiss, baring all his pent up energy, feelings; _everything_.

 

“You..!? What the hell, Haru!?!” Spluttering, Rin’s face is the same shade as his hair.

 

Haru ran his hands through Rin’s hair as if it were made of the most precious strands of silk.

 

“I never confessed… ” Another short kiss.

 

“Because you were in love… in love with someone else.” Haru leaves small kisses along Rin’s very red face, on each cheek, the top of his nose, forehead; anywhere he could.

 

“You mean you… All this time you...” Tears started to come out. Rin moved his hands from Harus chest (where he had been holding on to during their kiss) to hug him fiercely, relieved tears and sobs hidden in Haru’s neck.

 

All Haru can do is nod and hug him tighter. Words were never his strong point and he figures Rin would appreciate action more. Haru hopes Rin understands him fully, that he is so relieved, so happy, he had never considered that he was the one Rin was in love with.  

 

Haru swears to never let Rin make flowers ever again.

**Author's Note:**

> Queenie:  
> Im so sorry this took so long~ Merry (late) Christmas! or more like happy new year  
> I know you were expecting angst and this ended up way to fluffy orz  
> Hope you liked it a little bit at least. <3
> 
> Yami:  
> THANK YOU!! so much for being such a wonderful beta and putting up with my shit. ILU
> 
> Thank you all who got this far, i really appreciate it.  
> Also i think this will be my "debut and farewell" of writing, we'll see.


End file.
